The making of jonty bloo.., p.25
The Making of Jonty Bloom, page 25
part #1 of Unfinished Business Series
He stared at Jonty as if he were the most amazing thing he’d ever seen, his gaze moving over Jonty’s face before settling on his mouth. One gentle kiss almost undid Jonty.
Devan lifted his head and smiled. “What to say after a fuck like that?”
“Are you certain we’re in the right house and the occupants aren’t hiding upstairs, freaked out?”
Devan laughed. “Tell me you’re not still fretting about sexual compatibility.”
“An ongoing concern. I think we need to keep trying until it’s clear one way or the other.”
Devan smiled and took his hand. “Let’s find the shower.”
“But that will throw us right off schedule. We’re supposed to empty the car and I’ve got wet clothes and shoes in a plastic bag.”
“Shower,” Devan repeated. “Everything else can wait. The rental agency better be right about the water being hot on demand.”
JONTY HAD NEVER BEEN TAKEN care of like this before. He’d once showered with a guy who’d fucked him, but he hadn’t looked at or touched him like this. Jonty leaned against Devan as he caressed him with soapy hands. For once, Jonty didn’t want to say anything, he just wanted to feel. Devan cleaned every part of him, every inch of his skin, then brought him off with his hand while he kissed him, Jonty shaking in his arms, wanting to dissolve into him.
“Three times,” Jonty gasped. “Bloody hell.”
“We need an even number.”
“Eight then. I like that number.”
Devan chuckled.
But even as Jonty fell deeper into lust, doubt crept in.
What if Hamish wouldn’t sell the hotel?
What would happen when the month was up?
How was he going to earn a living?
Where would he live?
Devan already knew he didn’t want to leave Northumberland. Did he think that finding his mother living happily in London might make him change his mind? There was no surety that his father would know where she was. Plus Jonty and Devan were worlds apart in so many ways, no matter how much Jonty might want to convince himself otherwise. Devan was wealthy, Jonty was not. That might turn into an issue.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
It’s not going to.
Maybe you’re wrong.
Maybe I’m not.
ONCE THEY WERE DRESSED, DEVAN and Jonty explored the house. Jonty had to keep reminding himself to shut his mouth. The place was amazing: spotlessly clean, beautifully furnished…awesome. The sort of place he’d never dreamed he’d set foot in, let alone be able to stay in for a month. With a hot guy! The kitchen was part of one large living area that ran across the rear, and the island unit that held the hob, was a slab of glittering brown granite with flecks of cobalt, silver and turquoise. A bank of floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors opened onto decking with an outdoor living area and a hot tub, the sea fifty yards beyond.
“Everything seems to be brand new.” Devan picked up a yellow cushion off the cream couch, then tossed it down.
Jonty reached out and put it in the exact position it was before.
Devan chuckled.
“I’m anal.”
Devan groaned. “Don’t…” He took a deep breath. “Want to go down to the sea before it’s dark or look upstairs?”
Jonty turned toward the stairs and Devan followed. There were two large bedrooms, one at the front, and one at the rear with a balcony that stretched the width of the house holding two sun loungers, a table and chairs. Devan unfastened the catch on the glass doors, slid them open and stepped out.
“We can have coffee and croissants up here tomorrow.” Devan came back in and locked the doors again. “Are you okay? You’re uncharacteristically quiet and it’s worrying me.”
“I can’t believe how much has changed in less than a week,” Jonty whispered. I had a job and now I don’t. And yet… “What did I do to be so lucky?”
Devan pulled him into his arms and kissed him. “I’m the lucky one.”
Jonty pulled back. “I want the bedroom at the rear.”
For a moment, he had Devan, then the familiar smile crept over his face. “That’s tough. So do I.”
THEY BROUGHT EVERYTHING IN OUT of the car, hung up their clothes, sorted out the wet stuff, though Jonty had no hope his old suit could be revived, but maybe his shoes would live again.
He took the ingredients out of the fridge to make dinner. “This place would be perfect if it had a lazy river.”
“Do you have a thing about lazy rivers? Where is there one up here?”
“North Shields. I went once with Tay. Do any of your hotels have them?”
“One of them. In Kent.” Devan looked around. “You know what would take this place to a level higher? And not a lazy river.”
“What?”
“Your sea glass pictures.”
Jonty rolled his eyes, yet the idea made his stomach flutter, and a lump formed in his throat.
“You could sell them. They’d look great on the walls in here.”
Could I make and sell them?
I told you that!
Tay had tried on several occasions to persuade Jonty to approach some of the art galleries in the area. He’d never been able to pluck up the courage.
“It takes a long while to find the pieces of glass,” Jonty said.
Devan took out his phone and a moment later, held it up to show him. “Buy the glass online.”
“That’s cheating.”
“If you’re making it for yourself maybe, but not if you’re making it to sell. If we get the hotel, I want you to make some pictures for it. And maybe the names of the rooms.”
Jonty gaped at him.
“Like a glass of wine?” Devan asked.
Did he have no idea that he’d made Jonty’s world turn so much faster? “Yes please.” Maybe getting a bit drunk would stop him feeling so…overwhelmed.
Devan put a glass of red wine in front of him. Jonty took two large swallows, then began to work. He’d watched Marcus cook fettucine alfredo, though Marcus had made his own pasta. Jonty filled a pan with water and set it to boil, then took another gulp of wine.
“How did you learn to cook?” Devan asked. “Using a recipe book for alcoholics?”
Jonty laughed. “Sometimes you’re really funny.” He took another drink of wine.
“Are you drunk already?”
“No. Not quite. I learnt to cook from a book my mum had. It was a tall, thin recipe book from the Be-Ro flour company. She used it all the time and when she’d…gone, I tried to make the things she’d baked. It was cakes and biscuits and scones mostly. When I was older, I progressed to things like spaghetti and stew and when my dad realised what I’d made tasted okay, he expected me to cook for us both. Sometimes, we had nice meals together. It wasn’t all bad.”
Jonty put the clotted cream, butter and cornflour into a pan and stirred it over a low heat.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Just admire my amazing technique.”
“I’m admiring the way you’ve polished off a large glass of wine.”
“Fuck!” Jonty stared at the empty glass. “I didn’t notice I was doing that.” Not true.
He tipped the cheese and nutmeg into a bowl, added a couple of grinds of black pepper and mixed it before returning to stir the creamy mixture on the hob.
“It’s going to be ready five minutes after I put the pasta in. Want to see if you can find some bowls and forks.”
Devan poured him another glass of wine, then started to check the cupboards.
By the time they sat at the table, half of Jonty’s wine was gone. Devan gave him a look but didn’t say anything.
“You might like more pepper.” Jonty turned the grinder over his bowl.
“It’s delicious.”
Since Devan had finished long before Jonty, Jonty guessed he was telling the truth. When Jonty finally put his fork down, Devan reached across the table and caught hold of his hand. “What’s the matter?”
What do we have here?
Am I hoping for the impossible?
“Worried about seeing my father tomorrow.” Not a lie, though not his greatest concern.
“You don’t have to see him if you don’t want to. I could ask him for your mother’s address. It’s possible that Stan could still find her without his help.”
“I want to see him. I want to see if he’s sorry.”
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up.” Devan pushed to his feet and cleared the table.
JONTY COULDN’T SLEEP. FANTASTIC, EXHAUSTING sex and he still couldn’t sleep. All he could think about was visiting his father the next day, or more to the point, whether he should or not. He didn’t want to be weighed down with grief about a man who’d never really been a father to him, but this was their last chance.
Devan lay sleeping at his side and Jonty wanted so much to believe this was real, that they had a future. Maybe if he could find out where his mother was, he’d finally accept he could leave Northumberland. He should have accepted it long ago, but where would he have gone?
Then there was Tay.
Don’t stay here because of me. I’m not here anyway.
Jonty rolled over. Devan slid his arm around him and tugged him close. Devan’s breathing pattern didn’t change and Jonty thought he was still asleep. I’m safe.
Yes, you are. He’ll keep you safe.
And finally, Jonty slept.
ONLY TO BE WOKEN BY a violent banging at the door.
Devan jerked awake beside him. “What the hell?”
Jonty rolled out of bed and reached for one of the robes.
“Stay here.” Devan pulled on the other one.
“No.”
Devan gave a heavy sigh but didn’t argue. They both hurried down. Lights were flashing outside and when Devan opened the door, two policemen stood there.
“We’ve had a report of an assault. Which of you is Jonty Bloom?”
“I am.”
“You called to say you were being attacked.”
“No, I didn’t. We were asleep.”
“What the hell’s happened to my car?” Devan stalked out of the house.
Jonty gulped. There was a long scratch all the way down the side of the Aston.
“I think someone’s made a malicious call,” Jonty said. Probably Brad, though should he say that?
“Mind if we have a look round?” the policeman asked.
“No, go ahead.”
Devan came back into the house. “Brad?”
“How would he know where we were living? No one followed us. We’d have seen them.”
The policemen came back to the door.
“Any idea who might want to cause trouble for you?” one asked.
“Brad Greene. If you look up my details, you’ll see I’ve reported him a few times. I can’t think of anyone else who’d do this.”
“We’ll have a word with him.”
The policemen left and Devan closed the door.
“I’m sorry,” Jonty whispered.
Devan wrapped his arms around him. “It’s only a car.”
“Did it hurt when you said that?”
“Yes, but not as much as it would have hurt if it had been you.”
Chapter Sixteen
JONTY’S ANXIETY RAMPED UP THE closer they drew to Berwick. His gaze kept sliding to the sat nav counting down the time and distance from their destination. Devan had followed his lead on everything until they left the house, and even when Jonty had snapped at him for overcooking the croissants, he’d not reacted. Well, Jonty had got all stroppy and Devan had hugged him, stroked the stars in his ears, then stuffed a croissant in his mouth which made Jonty laugh. Every time Jonty felt himself on the verge of imploding, Devan grounded him.
“You can change your mind,” Devan said. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Now I’ve put on my best sweater? The one I can only wear once without having to wash it?” Jonty chewed his lip. “I want to see my mother. I want answers from her so I think I do have to do this.”
“You’re still saying think.”
“I know I am.”
“Do you want me with you?” Devan asked.
Jonty glanced at him. “Yes, inside the house, but maybe outside the door of the room. Just in case I get all stabby and need stopping.”
“Okay.”
Mike had delivered Jonty’s board and bike before they set off, and they’d put them in the garage only to find there were already a couple of surfboards in there, and other equipment for the beach along with two bikes. Mike had also delivered a warning to Devan, a quiet word when he thought Jonty couldn’t hear. “You’re making this harder for him. Don’t fuck him around.” Devan hadn’t answered. Jonty wasn’t sure whether he wanted to thump Mike or hug him.
“What would you like to eat tonight?” Jonty asked.
Devan laughed. “God, your changes of direction make my head spin. I’m happy with anything. But not brawn. I feel sick thinking about that.”
“Pizza then. I’ll make it. Pizza, then hot tub.”
“I need to go to the hotel later today to talk to my guys and work out how much to offer for the hotel.”
“Maybe I’ll be able to afford to buy it. I’ve been saving up. I have a This is going to change my life fund. I’m counting on my new suit and shoes helping towards that change.”
“No one could resist you in that suit. You want to come with me to the hotel?”
“I’ll stay here and get the pizza ready. I like to cook pizza naked. Shiiit. I shouldn’t have told you that. Don’t rush back and crash. I can’t eat two pizzas.”
Devan smiled.
Jonty gave a shaky exhalation. “What if he’s not in?”
“He’ll be in. He’s sick, remember?”
“Doesn’t mean he can’t go out.”
“I suppose. But he knows you’re coming.”
“Maybe that’s an incentive not to be in.”
Devan’s phone rang and he accepted the call. “Hi, Clara.”
“Morning, Devan. Roger and I are about fifteen minutes away from McAllister’s.”
“Great. I’ll meet you there late this afternoon. There’s a wedding in the hotel today, so it’s going to be busy. That works to your advantage. With so many people milling about, you’re less likely to be noticed. I’ve left a message at reception that they’re to give you a key to my room. Any problems call me. Hamish McAllister knows I have people coming up, so you can speak to him if you need to. If anyone asks, you’re building inspectors called in by McAllister. He’s going to talk to his staff tomorrow, so we need to give him a price as soon as possible. Sorry to press you.”
“No problem,” Roger said.
“We’ll get right on it,” Clara added. “See you later.”
Devan pressed a button on the wheel to end the call.
“I had a text from Hamish saying there was a meeting for all staff at eleven tomorrow,” Jonty told him. “So he didn’t know at that point that Vincent had sacked me.”
“I’m going to sort that out.”
“Oh.”
Devan glanced at him. “What does oh mean?”
“You said you’d give me a job.” Jonty wished his voice didn’t sound so…little. “I have enough money to wait until you can sort it out.”
“I will. I just didn’t want you to have been sacked for something you didn’t do. But if you don’t want to go back, that suits me fine.”
Relief flooded Jonty’s chest and he smiled. “We can spend our time making sure about that sexual compatibility thing. Right?”
Devan laughed. “Right.”
“I feel a bit as if I’ve stepped onto a train that’s going faster and faster. I had my life under control and now it’s not.”
“Does that bother you?”
Jonty swallowed hard. “Yes and no. I’ve been hiding all my life, protecting myself any way I could. Keeping quiet. Curling up in small places. When I learned that humour worked as a deflection, I used that. If I could laugh when I was hurt at school, then it made me the powerful one. But I have places inside me that barely need to be touched before I’m in pain. Sometimes, when it gets too much, I have panic attacks.”
Devan grabbed his hand and squeezed his fingers. “You verged on one when we were rescued and you didn’t want to go to hospital.”
“Hospitals bring back memories of being beaten, memories of how scared I was, awareness that I could tell no one, and I had no one who loved me. I didn’t belong anywhere. I couldn’t risk being gay and that hurt. I think people guessed, but I never admitted it. I laughed it off. I was too frightened of losing the one person who was there for me.
“Tay was my anchor. He held me firm, kept me in place. Without him, I’d have been washed away. He even tried to get his parents to adopt me when my father was put in jail. But his sisters kicked up a fuss, so that was that. When I got the job at the hotel, I was so happy. It was like I had a family of my own, people to look after. Marcus taught me how to cook basic stuff and I watched him work whenever I could. That’s how I knew how to make your meal. Though if you’d picked something difficult, I’d have struggled.”
“It was delicious.”
“The problem with the hotel is that staff come and go. I’ve been there longer than almost everyone. The manager before Vincent liked me a lot more than Vincent does. Vincent isn’t going to like me at all if he loses his job.”
“Do you want the hotel sold?”
Jonty thought about it. “Are you asking me if I wish you hadn’t caught me with that Flake in my mouth? That you’d never come up here and confirmed the hotel was something you wanted? If the first thing I’d known about it was Hamish telling me and the rest of the staff tomorrow that we’d be out of a job after Christmas? If I wanted to lose my job and everyone else to lose theirs? Or would I rather everything had stayed the same, that I’d never met you and selling the hotel had never even come into Hamish’s mind?”
“I got lost somewhere in that, but all of that, yes.”
Jonty shrugged. “I can’t pretend none of it’s happened. We are where we are. Hamish wants to sell. You want to buy. I’m happy I met you. That’s the one thing that’s…” He swallowed hard. “Hey, no one knows what the future holds, whether tomorrow’s waves will be good surfing ones or not. You take what you can, while you can.”
